St. Kitts Welcomes Its First Cruise Ship Since Industry Shutdown

seabourn odyssey st kitts and nevis

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Cruising is officially back in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The island nation celebrated the resumption of cruising today with the arrival of Seabourn Odyssey, which will make a port call there every week through October.

A ship-to-ship salute, live steelpan performances, and the country’s renowned drummers greeted the vessel’s passengers and crew as it docked at South Friars Bay.

“Today is indeed a wonderful day for people of St. Kitts and Nevis as we warmly welcome the luxurious Seabourn Odyssey to our shores,” Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris said. “Tourism is one of the main drivers of the economy, and therefore our plan is to reopen the destination for tourism and travel responsibly. We have implemented a phased approach to rebuilding the cruise sector aimed at supporting our local economy and providing our visitors with a safe and positive on-island experience.”

seabourn odyssey st kitts and nevis
(Photo courtesy of St. Kitts Tourism)

“We are pleased to welcome the Seabourn Odyssey to St. Kitts and Nevis for the highly-anticipated restart of our cruise tourism sector,” Minister of Tourism, Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant said. “St. Kitts is a destination that remains in high demand amongst travelers and I want to thank our cruise line partners and our stakeholders here on island for working so diligently with us to ensure that all the necessary requirements were met to allow for the successful return of cruises to the Federation.”

As the summer progresses, St. Kitts will welcome more cruise ships from Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International.

These will be the first calls this year for each ship:

  • Celebrity Summit — July 29
  • Allure of the Seas — August 11
  • Celebrity Equinox — August 24
  • Symphony of the Seas — August 26

The current health and safety protocol for any cruise ship visiting St. Kitts and Nevis include the following:

  • All crew and passengers over 18 must be vaccinated.
  • All passengers and crew, including kids, 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.
  • Passengers and crew aren’t permitted to interact with the general population.

The St. Kitts Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Health has worked with stakeholders to develop fully vaccinated ‘Travel Approved’ bubble tours to showcase the island’s attractions such as UNESCO World Heritage-recognized Brimstone Hill Fortress, the St. Kits Scenic Railway, and Caribelle Batik.

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