The first cruise ship to home port in The Bahamas, Royal Caribbean International's (RCI) Adventure of the Seas - which was also the cruise line's first ship to resume cruising in the Western Hemisphere - left Nassau's cruise port on Saturday with more than 1,000 passengers, after RCI endured 15 months of no cruising activity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The occasion was marked by a ceremony in Pompey Square, which included a keynote address by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis.
Minnis noted in his address that cruising is an essential economic driver for The Bahamas, explaining that 5.4 billion cruise passengers passed through The Bahamas in 2019.
“It has been a long and challenging period for our country and for the entire world, including the global tourism industry and the cruising sector,” Minnis said.
“We are grateful to have Adventure of the Seas home port here in Nassau and visit additional islands in The Bahamas over the seven-night itinerary.”
Royal Caribbean Group’s Vice President of Governmental Relations for the Americas Russell Benford said during the ceremony that the cruise line’s home porting initiative offers new opportunities for Bahamians and cruise line guests.
He added that by the end of June, Royal Caribbean will once again sail from US cruise ports.
“By the end of this very month, we will be the first to resume cruises from the United States, with even more reasons for The Bahamas to celebrate the cruising comeback. In July and August, Royal Caribbean will have six ships sailing from major US ports in Florida and Texas, and by the and of August 12, Royal Caribbean International ships will be cruising once again across The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe.”
Nassau Cruise Port (NCP), though currently under construction, put together a temporary arrivals and departures terminal, replete with luggage scanners, customs and immigration offices, restrooms, security and a health center to accommodate the home porting initiative.
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