Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett has revealed that two cruise ships will call on the Ocho Rios Port this week. 

In a statement on Tuesday morning, Minister Bartlett said this development is further evidence of the growing demand for destination Jamaica and the success of efforts to reopen the tourism sector. 

Minister Bartlett noted that the award winning MSC Meraviglia returns to the Port of Ocho Rios on Tuesday for the first of five calls up to November.

He says although the vessel has a carrying capacity of approximately 7,000 passengers and crew, it will be docking with 2,883 passengers onboard due to Covid-19 protocols.

The MSC Meraviglia was the final cruise ship to dock in Jamaica in early 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic hit, forcing the closure of the island’s international borders. 

The tourism minister says the other vessel setting sail for Jamaica, to also dock in Ocho Rios, is the Carnival Sunrise which is on its return trip and is due to arrive in Jamaica tomorrow.

The Carnival Sunrise was the first vessel to visit the island as Jamaica reopened to cruise tourism on Monday, August 16 and will be making eleven calls up to December.  

In the statement on Tuesday, Minister Bartlett reiterated that the cruise shipping industry is critical to the recovery of the tourism sector.

He says Jamaica is seeing a welcome return of vessels with the recognition that Jamaica’s Resilient Corridors offer a safe environment for visitors, tourism workers and the general population.

Minister Bartlett says Jamaica is well prepared for cruise ship calls as all the requirements have been put in place to meet both international and local health Covid-19 protocols.

He says passengers are limited to moving within the Resilient Corridors. 

Minister Bartlett says he must underscore that the cruise ships have to meet strict measures governing the restart of cruise shipping.

Approximately 95 per cent of passengers and crew are to be fully vaccinated and all passengers are required to provide evidence of negative results from a Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of sailing. 

He says in the case of unvaccinated passengers, such as children, a PCR test is mandated, and all passengers are also screened and tested on embarkation.

Based on schedules to date, Minister Bartlett says Jamaica is expecting some 20 cruise ship calls before year-end.