CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE RETURNS TO GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama Island- On Monday, November 7th, vendors of the Freeport Harbour, local entertainers, and Ministry of Tourism staff members all awaited the early morning arrival of 3,281 transit passengerson board the Carnival Valor.
The well-known cruise line parked its bow in the deep waters of the Freeport Harbour.
At around 8:00 a.m., the very first guests to arrive on a major cruise line were greeted by the sounds of Junkanoo, and a taste of Goombay punch, in true Bahamian fashion.
The harbour, which had been out of commission for almost a month after the passing of Hurricane Matthew, was re-vitalized with the energy of tourists waiting to take advantage of every activity that Grand Bahama has to offer.
According to Captain Orlando Forbes, Port Director, Freeport Harbour Company, the level of activity at the harbour spoke volumes for the island, as persons had not been actively employed after the hurricane.
Moreover, the arrival of the Carnival Valor to the shores of Grand Bahama Island was a monumental moment, not only for the vendors of the harbour, but also for the tourism industry on which the economy is dependent.
In terms of the expectancy for the number of ships returning to the harbour, Forbes said that "For the rest of the year our projections are quite bouyant. Carnival is our major supporter [and] Norwegian Cruise Line has indicated that they will be back around the 22nd [of November]. So for us that means we are getting back to a state of normalcy. The rest of the year looks very promising."
Betty Bethel, Director, Ministry of Tourism, Grand Bahama, notes that “It's a very exciting time for Grand Bahama, because the arrival of the Carnival Valor is an indicator that our island is ready for business”.
With a return of commerce after the devastation associated with Hurricane Matthew, the arrival of the Carnival Valor and re-opening of the Freeport Harbour are truly signs that Grand Bahama Island’s tourism sector continues to thrive.
