[KINGSTON, Jamaica] – Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett has revealed that Jamaica has finalized arrangements with Norwegian Cruise Line. Norwegian will homeport one of their vessels in Montego Bay, with service set to begin on August 7, 2021.
“I am very pleased that Jamaica will be the homeport for Norwegian Cruise Line. In addition, we will see the return of cruise tourism to Jamaican waters in August.”
“We look forward to welcoming them back to our shores. And, I am confident that this important partnership will aid in our effort to rebuild our tourism sector. Plus, boost our economy overall,” said Bartlett.
“While we know there are some concerns about the safety of the cruise industry at this time. We want to assure the public that the cruise lines are adhering to strict COVID-19 safety protocols. We worked tirelessly to develop the necessary protocols to ensure a safe, seamless and secure experience. As a result, this will be mutually beneficial,” he added.
The Norwegian Joy is the vessel which will be used to transport passengers embarking from Jamaica. The itineraries will include 7-day packages sailing out of Montego Bay.
“The Norwegian Joy has an occupancy of approximately 3,800. They will operate at 50% capacity, in keeping with current COVID-19 protocols in place for the cruise shipping industry. Additionally, passengers will be required to be fully vaccinated and take a test prior to boarding the ship,” Minister Bartlett explained.
Homeports in the Caribbean
With this announcement, Jamaica now joins a number of other Caribbean destinations that will be homeports for leading cruise lines.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is a leading international cruise company. They operate several brands, including the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With a combined fleet of 28 ships with approximately 59,150 berths, these brands offer itineraries to more than 490 destinations globally. The Company is slated to introduce nine additional ships through 2027.
