MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – A new Cruise Liner, ‘Thompson Dream’, with about 1,700 passengers from the United Kingdom, made its inaugural trip to Jamaica docking at the Montego Bay Freeport’s shipping pier on Thursday (December 30).
Jamaica’s Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Carrole Guntley, led a team of officials from the Ministry and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), to welcome the crew and passengers to Montego Bay.
“Jamaica prides itself in giving our visitors that special experience and the meet the people programme, enables visitors to spend time with Jamaicans in their homes, place of work or at places of interest. We have a lot to offer in our main attractions which are our history, our culture, our heritage and our people which make us truly Jamaican. So, on behalf of all Jamaicans, we want to welcome you, specially, to our island,” Ms Guntley told the crew.
“This cruise liner is the newest ship to be added to the Thompson fleet and came into service in early May. It will be making regularly visits to Montego Bay on a three weekly basis,” said Staff Captain Egil Aune.
Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Carrole Guntley (right) presents a gift package to Staff Captain Egil Aune (second left) of the cruise ship, ‘Thompson Dream’, as it makes its inaugural visit to Montego Bay, while Cruise Operations Manager of the vessel, Gill Thow and Manager on Board, Gillian Lowes-Thompson(second and right, respectively) looks on.
“We do have a three-week round trip in the Caribbean with a turn around port here in Montego Bay, then in Havana and Barbados, so every three weeks we will be back in Montego Bay exchanging passengers. It was an easy decision to commence making trips to Montego, as Thompson did not have a ship coming to this country and we needed to have a ship here to show our passengers the beauty of the island and the real Jamaica,” he said.
