By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
The streets of Basseterre were flooded with tourists on Thursday as the cruise ship Norwegian Dawn made its inaugural visit to the shores of St. Kitts.
The 965 ft. long cruise liner is part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet, one of the three largest cruise lines in the cruise industry.
With a capacity to hold over 2000 guests and more than 1000 crew members, the luxury liner offers every amenity for the discerning cruiser.
The 14-deck ship boasts basketball and volleyball courts, kiddie’s pool, Spa and beauty salon, fitness centre, 13 restaurants, 9 bars and lounges, galleria shops, casino, 2 swimming pools and a cinema auditorium.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Lloyd Lazar made a brief presentation to the captain Hakan Svendung and some of his crew, bestowing gift packages for both the captain and the passengers of the ship.
Lazar said he hoped that the cruise line would make St. Kitts/Nevis a part of its regular destination roster starting next year.
“I would like to welcome you and your crew and visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis. This is truly a delightful occasion. We certainly look forward to a continued relationship and although we know this trip is a one off visit, we anticipate that in the next cruise season, the Norwegian Dawn and its sister ships will begin making significant cruises to our federation,” he said.
Captain Svendung also made a presentation to the Tourism Authority and S.L. Horsfords & Co. Ltd., their agents in St. Kitts, of commemorative plaques signifying the ship’s visit.
The passengers disembarked and shopped, took in the sights and were able to partake in island excursions before the ship set sail in the early evening.
