Resilient Lady’s Inaugural Call Signals Jamaica’s Cruise Industry Recovery After Hurricane Melissa

The inaugural call of Virgin Voyages’ ‘Resilient Lady’ to Jamaica stands as a testament to the nation’s resilience and preparedness to re-engage the global cruise market, following the challenges posed by Hurricane Melissa.

Vice President for Cruise Port Management at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), Mark Hylton, underscored that the vessel’s arrival represents a “vote of confidence” in the nation’s capacity to deliver world-class visitor experiences.

The adults-only Resilient Lady, the first vessel from the Virgin Voyages fleet to call on Jamaica, docked at the newly reopened main terminal at the Ocho Rios Port in St. Ann on November 24.

“The cruise ship’s call… demonstrates our resilience as a destination and people… that we are coming back to business. It demonstrates our capacity for business continuity and it is also representative of a brand endorsement of Jamaica,” Mr. Hylton told JIS News.

He added that with a passenger capacity of 2,770 and accommodation for 1,150 crew members, the Resilient Lady is expected to bring new energy to the island’s cruise sector.

Mr. Hylton noted that the ship’s itinerary is currently scheduled for Ocho Rios, with discussions under way to expand services to the Port Authority’s other terminals at Falmouth and Montego Bay.

“We are appreciative of them coming here. We appreciate the brand endorsement and we are delighted [to begin] this relationship. They’ve demonstrated their confidence in us and we are very thankful for that and are looking forward to continuing that engagement and partnership,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Montego Bay welcomed its first post-hurricane cruise call on November 25.

Mr. Hylton indicated that the return of cruise operations to the Second City so soon after the category-five hurricane reflects the determination of local authorities and tourism stakeholders, who have worked in concert to restore the resort town.

“In terms of Falmouth, the cruise terminal is ready. We have addressed the issues which were presented by the hurricane, and now we’re working with the local community, the municipality and other agencies to get Falmouth ready within seven to 14 days,” he stated.

For her part, Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), executive Sharon Williams, in welcoming the Virgin Voyages team expressed gratitude for their choice of Jamaica at a time when the nation continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa.

She assured the crew of the Resilient Lady that Jamaica is firmly on the path to recovery.

The vessel’s Captain, Hannu Haaponiemi, noted that the Resilient Lady will call on Jamaica every other week throughout the winter tourist season. He further advised that additional ships from Virgin Voyages’ four-ship fleet are scheduled to begin visiting the island.

Captain Haaponiemi said the crew is encouraged to display their warmth and friendliness in order to provide guests with a distinctive and relaxed experience while in Jamaica.

The visit included a ceremonial exchange of plaques between Jamaican representatives and the ship’s leadership, followed by an official tour of the vessel.