By the Caribbean Journal staff

Barbados has welcomed the arrival of the new MV Brittania cruise ship.

The 1,083-foot-long flagship of P&O Cruises will be homeporting in Barbados throughout the winter season, conducting 14-day cruises across the Caribbean.

“We are going to see a 17 per cent increase in our home porting activity which will have a larger impact on the local economy. I am very pleased with what is happening with our home porting area,” said Barbados Tourism Minister Richard Sealy.

The vessel carries around 4,000 passengers.

“It is an amazing effort on the part of port officials, on the part of cruise agents, on the part of transportation providers and on the part of our friends at the airport as well,” Sealy said.