The first cruise ship arrived into Saint Lucia since the Covid-19 pandemic earlier, greeted with celebrations and fanfare.

Celebrity Millennium arrived at Pointe Seraphine at 7:40 with 414 passengers, to the sounds of steel pan music and a masquerade depicting a mini carnival.

Prime minister, Allen Chastanet, tourism minister, Dominic Fedee, and captain Theodoros Zakkas of Celebrity Millennium exchanged plaques commemorating the resumption of cruise services to the island.

Three Saint Lucian nationals employed with Celebrity Millennium expressed the joy of being back home and back at their cruise ship jobs.

“The resumption of cruise service is cause for celebration and illustrates our tremendous partnership with the cruise industry.

“Welcoming the first cruise ship to Port Castries in the summer speaks volumes for our trajectory,” said Fedee.

Lucky passengers were surprised on arrival with gifts including branded Saint Lucia keepsakes.

Accommodation providers including Cap Maison, Bay Gardens Resorts, Coco Palm, Fond Doux and Justin Apartments gifted passengers with return stay packages.

The cruise guests were met with a full complement of health protocols, conducted in a newly erected facility at the Pointe Seraphine complex.

Fully vaccinated adults were issued white wristbands and invited to enjoy expanded access to the island as part of Saint Lucia’s recent protocol update.

On the economic front, 8,386 individuals in Saint Lucia have been re-employed within the tourism and cruise sector including 1,500 taxi drivers and 135 tour guides.

Some 115 vendors were ready to welcome cruise visitors.