BASSETERRE (22nd April, 2021): St. Kitts & Nevis is pleased to announce its inclusion on the itinerary of the Seabourn Odyssey, a ship in the ultra-luxury Seabourn cruise line, which resumes Caribbean sailings late July, 2021.
The 7-day itinerary includes Antigua, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Maarten.
The Odyssey will be calling in St. Kitts every week and is our first scheduled port of call for the phased re-opening for cruise tourism, announced Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports today.
“We look forward to welcoming Seabourn Odyssey to St. Kitts. The benefits of the cruise industry have been vital to the economies of St. Kitts & Nevis and we are delighted to welcome our first vessel back, as we begin our phased approach to resume cruise tourism,” said Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports. “
It has been a long 13 months and the re-opening of cruise signals the continued rebuilding of tourism and our economy. We see our cruise industry returning with a fervor and we are working hard to ensure it happens safely, proficiently and promptly.
While not the official opening of the cruise sector, which is projected for October 2021, later this year, when St. Kitts and Nevis would have achieved herd immunity. The minimum protocols for any cruise ship, visiting in St. Kitts & Nevis include:
- All crew and all passengers over the age of 18 must be vaccinated.
- All passengers, crew and children under the age of 18 must present a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of homeport embarkation.
- Only bubble vaccinated tours and attractions will be offered to cruise passengers.
- All personnel interacting with cruise vessel operations including ship agents, port staff, taxi and tour operators must be vaccinated be vaccinated.
The Ministry of Tourism and St. Kitts Tourism Authority are currently working with all taxi/tour operators and attractions, to ensure compliance with the vaccination requirements, health and safety protocols for cruise to be Travel Approved.
“We continue to work with our stakeholders on the resumption of cruise, just as we did for the phased reopening for Stay Over on October 31st, 2020,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. “Safety of our nationals, residents and visitor remains a top priority for us and we are working to ensure passengers can enjoy the exceptional and diverse attributes of the destination and can have a memorable shore experience while being confident in their safety.”
Seabourn is recognized as one of the world’s leading luxury cruise lines. Its boutique ships are known for their all-suite accommodations and their industry-leading service. Known for providing its guests with unique experiences, selecting St. Kitts as a destination on its itinerary reinforces the island’s position as an attractive destination that offers guests one-of-a-kind experiences.
St. Kitts & Nevis closed its borders on March 25, 2020 and reopened to international travel on October 31, 2020 with some of the most comprehensive travel requirements in the region. To-date, the Federation has reported only 44 confirmed cases of Covid, with no community spread and no deaths. As of today 11,848, people have been vaccinated.
In recent years St. Kitts has become a major cruise destination. The island’s attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage recognized Brimstone Hill Fortress, the St. Kitts Scenic Railway, and Caribelle Batik where artisans maintain the ancient wax-dye method are unique experiences that continue to attract visitors.
