Emerald Princess to Call at Falmouth Port Sunday

Carnival Corporation’s Emerald Princess, with more than 3,500 passengers and crew, will be making a much-anticipated visit to the Falmouth Port, Trelawny, on Sunday (November 14).

The event will mark the official return of cruise shipping to the coastal town, following a near 20-month absence due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A Costa Cruises Italian liner was scheduled to call on November 8, but the visit was cancelled due to a scheduling conflict.

Speaking at the monthly sitting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation on Tuesday (November 11), Falmouth Mayor, Colin Gager,  said that while everyone is understandably excited about the cruise call, it should be noted that there are health and safety measures in place as it relates to the movement of passengers.

He said that due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, guests will be restricted to specific and approved areas, which include the craft centre and the newly constructed $700-million artisan village.

“No visitor will be allowed to roam the town… nonetheless, we will be making sure that they feel welcomed,” he noted.

Mayor Gager, in an earlier interview with JIS News, said that the municipality has been preparing for the return of the ship.

He noted that a major facelift will be undertaken through support from the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

Mayor Gager, in the meantime, said that while the return of cruise shipping is currently being done on a phased basis, the town of Falmouth should expect to see “some serious action as we go along”.

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“Before COVID-19, we were doing very well with cruise shipping,” he said, adding that the resumption “will undoubtedly provide economic opportunities, giving our people a chance to improve their lives and financial situations”.

For his part, Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr. Carey Wallace, said that “only positive things” can happen going forward as “we welcome the ships back to our local ports”.

“We welcome the arrival of the ship in Falmouth on Sunday. It gives us an opportunity to reach out to the passengers. From the interaction, we will get critical information going forward on how to satisfy our clientèle while maintaining our [standards],” he added.

Meanwhile, Director of the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation, Carol Rose Brown, said that the artisan village is ready and “vendors are looking forward to doing business with the visitors”.

“On Sunday, the artisan village will have 11 artisans operating. They will display, for guests, a number of wares. These include jewellery, baskets, children’s books, and chocolates. An entertainment package is being arranged to give guests a unique taste of Jamaica,” Ms. Brown noted.

Cruise vessels Celebrity Equinox, Aida Diva and Crystal Serenity are also expected to return to Falmouth later this month. Disney Cruise Lines’ flagship vessel Disney Fantasy is scheduled to return in December.