The Carnival Sunrise Cruise docked for the second time in less than two weeks at the Ocho Rios port in St. Ann on Wednesday, August 25. As cruise tourism is slowly returning to Jamaica, the cruise ship is the first with international passengers to call at a Jamaican port since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was seemingly a smooth sailing day at the port of Ocho Rios. The passengers disembarked and were taken on approved tours in keeping with the established COVID-19 protocols. Like the first time the ship docked, some booked tours with unapproved operators.
Vice-President of Cruise Shipping at the Port Authority of Jamaica, William Tatham says the authority is in dialogue with other cruise lines. He says the PAJ is currently working with the Ministry of Health to ensure all health and safety measures are in place and observed.
Head of the PAJ, Professor Gordon Shirley, says if the COVID-19 numbers decrease over time, then Jamaica stands a good chance of regaining its position in cruise tourism. Shirley says the goal is to work as best as possible with the current measure in place.
The police were on location, keeping a close watch for detractors. Some operators felt as though they were being cheated as they did not benefit from the arrival of the cruise the first time around.
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