Cruising has returned to St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

The first cruise ship to call on St Vincent since the onset of the pandemic was Seabourn Odyssey this week, which visited the island of Bequia with a fully vaccinated ship. 

Passengers and crew who disembarked the ship were part of an organized “bubble,” which saw passengers restricted to select locations on the island, with interactions limited to only vaccinated service providers. 

Seabourn Odyssey will be calling on the destination bi-weekly until the end of October. 

“We have developed a comprehensive draft of the Cruise Protocols detailing how cruise passengers are expected to function within the bubble, and [the recent call] exercise was an excellent indication that with the Cruise Tourism Protocols the resumption of cruise tourism can work, despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Carlos James, Minister of Tourism of St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

“We have to ensure that all stakeholders benefit, inclusive of taxi operators, tour guides and vendors, providing that they are in compliance with the Cruise Tourism Protocols set by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism. The safety of the general public remains paramount during the cruise season,” he said. 

Officials say 224 cruise ships are expected to call on St Vincent and the Grenadines in the 2021-2022 cruise season. 

— CJ