The second cruise pier at St Kitts’ popular Port Zante is ready. 

The new pier is completed and will be operationalized when the need arises, according to Tuffida Stewart, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority. 

“Pier two is ready and is available for vessels to berth for the upcoming season and as early as next month,” she said. 

The plan is for additional cruise ships to add St Kitts to their itineraries with the launch of the second port. 

Dredging work was undertaken to allow for an added layer of protection for the larger oasis-class ships that have frequently called on St Kitts. 

The news comes as St Kitts relaunches its cruise industry for major ships, with the upcoming visit of Celebrity Equinox on Sept. 14. 

That will be the first large ship to visit St Kitts since the onset of the pandemic. 

The island has set up a number of strong health and safety protocols to prepare for its arrival, including the establishment of a “bubble” system at the port. 

“As the Celebrity Equinox will arrive at Port Zante, Port Zante will become a bubble and we are at this time working with the COVID-19 Task Force, UDC (Urban Development Corporation), tour operators, and the retail operators at Port Zante to finalize the logistics of this bubble,” said St Kitts and Nevis Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant. 

— CJ