By the Caribbean Journal staff

The first cruise ship since Hurricane Maria is returning to the island of St Croix on Nov. 11, US Virgin Islands tourism officials announced.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Dawn ship is coming to St Croix with 2,340 passengers and 1,032 crew members on Nov. 11.

The ship will visit St Croix three times this month.

The last cruise ship to call on St Croix had been Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas on Sept. 17, just a few days before Maria.

“St. Croix looks forward to welcoming the passengers and crew of the Norwegian Dawn this weekend, and sharing with them our warm, resilient Crucian spirit,” said US Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty. “We thank the countless Virgin Islanders and relief workers who have been working to restore power, clear roadways, prepare beaches and many of our key attractions so that visitors can experience our special Virgin Islands brand of Caribbean hospitality.”

Nicholson-Doty said taxis, tour operators and government agencies were working together to establish a series of recommended routes for on-shore excursions and tours.

“Cruise ship passengers contribute important economic activity to the U.S. Virgin Islands,” noted the Commissioner, adding that “the combination of cruise traffic, the recovery and construction economy, and the current reopening of hotels to leisure guests on St. Croix are key components of our recovery.”

Another cruise line, Viking Ocean Cruises, is coming to St Croix with its Viking Sea ship on both Nov. 15 and 28.