blue_water Posted October 17, 2017 #1 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Per "Caribbean Journal" - St Thomas’ cruise industry will reactivate in a big way on Nov. 10, when Royal Caribbean will be the first cruise line to bring passengers to the island since Hurricanes Irma and Maria. St Thomas is the third-most-visited cruise destination in the Caribbean, after Nassau and Cozumel. The move comes after a visit by Royal Caribbean executives to see the island’s port facilities and cruise infrastructure last week. “Most downtown shops, restaurants and bars and tour operators [are] fully operational, and guests will be able to experience a diverse and extensive array of dining, shopping and activities,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement. Royal Caribbean, which operated two major mercy missions to the US Virgin Islands to help with evacuations and deliver relief supplies, has been providing significant resources to help restore the island’s famous Magens Bay beach, according to tourism officials. “We are very excited to get back home to our friends in St Thomas,” said Michael Bayley, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. “The Caribbean is our family, having cruised there for nearly 50 years, and the long-standing relationships created in all this time are unwavering. We are committed to doing everything we can to help, and proud to support the restoration of the iconic Magens Bay.” “Welcoming cruise visitors back to the U.S. Virgin Islands is key to our economic recovery,” Commissioner Nicholson-Doty underscored, disclosing that cruise guests represent a significant share of overall visitors, supporting jobs both within and outside the tourism sector. The Commissioner said preparations for Royal Caribbean’s arrival were ongoing and additional meetings with the business community were being planned. Royal Caribbean said it was also committed to returning to San Juan and St Maarten by the end of November. By Dec. 1, scheduled cruises to the three ports will operate as planned, including visits from Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas, carrying nearly 6,000 visitors every week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidCruze Posted October 18, 2017 #2 Share Posted October 18, 2017 Thank you for posting this. I'm glad to hear Magens Bay mentioned specifically. I'm glad they are doing what they can to help that area out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moparop Posted October 20, 2017 #3 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Very interesting considering Disney just moved all cruises through 12/16 to be Western Caribbean cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare nbsjcruiser Posted October 20, 2017 #4 Share Posted October 20, 2017 We are sailing on the Hal Oosterdam and they have us going to St Thomas on Nov 8th. We were changed to St Croix after the hurricane but last night we were switched back to St Thomas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayehall Posted October 20, 2017 #5 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Any reports on St John? Heard they are still without power and many of the national parks and beaches were heavily damaged. Would love to hear some good news on this beautiful island Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbhwarrior Posted October 20, 2017 #6 Share Posted October 20, 2017 Any reports on St John? Heard they are still without power and many of the national parks and beaches were heavily damaged. Would love to hear some good news on this beautiful island I would be interested to hear about St John too and how they are doing, as due to visit in January Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidCruze Posted October 20, 2017 #7 Share Posted October 20, 2017 We are sailing on the Hal Oosterdam and they have us going to St Thomas on Nov 8th. We were changed to St Croix after the hurricane but last night we were switched back to St Thomas. That's great. Please report back on the condition of the island. I believe your ship will be one of the first to visit since the hurricane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelhound Posted October 20, 2017 #8 Share Posted October 20, 2017 We are on NCL Jade at the end of March and they've already bailed on STT, SXM, and SJ. None of the original six ports are still on our itinerary. Not sure why are going back and others have changed so far out on the schedule. I will miss STT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunny2runner Posted October 22, 2017 #9 Share Posted October 22, 2017 We are on MSC Seaside in late December and they just switched scheduled port on our itinerary from Puerto Rico to St. Thomas. Anxiously waiting to hear how St. Thomas is doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallison74 Posted October 23, 2017 #10 Share Posted October 23, 2017 We are sailing on the Hal Oosterdam and they have us going to St Thomas on Nov 8th. We were changed to St Croix after the hurricane but last night we were switched back to St Thomas. I am also on this cruise. Looking to book an excursion directly with a tour company, but not sure what will be operating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CigarsAndWhiskey Posted October 24, 2017 #11 Share Posted October 24, 2017 Gem in Nov is heading back for a half day. I am wondering where to get information on where to go post hurricane. (Which excursions are still offered) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now