After sailing multiple ports in the Caribbean since its debut in 2004, the 115,875-gross-ton Sapphire Princess made its first-ever call in St. Johns, Antigua, on October 19, 2024. Up to 2,670 passengers aboard the Princess Cruises vessel were the first to be welcomed by island officials with open arms.
The cruise ship docked at the historic Antigua Cruise Port as part of its 10-night Eastern Caribbean voyage, which departed from Sapphire Princess’ Port Everglades, Florida, homeport in Fort Lauderdale.
Arriving at 8 a.m., government officials, cruise agents, and representatives from the port were on hand for a commemorative plaque exchange, marking a growing partnership between Princess Cruises and Antigua.
“Today’s call by the Sapphire Princess exemplifies the continued growth and positive trajectory of Antigua’s cruise tourism sector,” said Rawle Reynolds, operations manager of pier services at the port.
“We at Antigua Cruise Port remain committed to delivering world-class port management services that elevate the visitor experience,” he continued. “The arrival of your vessel and guests here today underscores our dedication to providing seamless operations and exceptional service.”
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After a 10-hour call in St. Johns, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda, Sapphire Princess resumed her schedule, continuing to Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands; and Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. She will return to Fort Lauderdale on October 24, 2024.
Subsequent cruises on October 24 and November 3, 2024, will bring the vessel back to Antigua before Sapphire Princess repositions to South America for the winter.
Antigua’s Spectacular Year
The arrival of Sapphire Princess comes during a record-breaking season for Antigua Cruise Port, which expects to welcome over 800,000 passengers to Antigua & Barbuda by December 2024.
The port has actively invested in infrastructure upgrades and customer service improvements to attract more ships — and it’s working. Royal Caribbean invested $100 million to develop its private Royal Beach Club on the island at Fort James.
Antigua Cruise Port Sapphire Princess Inaugural Call, October 19, 2024 (Photo Credit: Antigua Cruise Port)
Carnival Corporation, which owns Princess Cruises, has been a long-time supporter, bringing the 3,560-passenger Regal Princess calling the day after Sapphire Princess.
It also has the port on current itineraries for ships in its AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises, and Holland America Line fleets.
Additionally, Oceania Cruises, TUI Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Viking Oceans, Celebrity Cruises, and Explora Journeys will also visit before the end of the year.
This has been a banner year for Antigua Cruise Port. On March 25, 2024, the port experienced its busiest day on record, with the arrival of six ships and 15,808 passengers in one day. (One ship was located at nearby Falmouth Harbour while five were positioned in St. Johns.)
And, on May 9, 2024, the port celebrated the arrival of over 500,000 cruise guests in one year.
At that time, the port witnessed 42 more ship calls than it did by the same time in 2023, not to mention 105,281 more passengers.
Even neighboring island Barbuda, which is part of the nation located in Lesser Antilles, is growing alongside its larger sister, noting its own record-breaking feat of expecting 23 ships to call in the 2024 to 2025 season.
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Publish date : 2024-10-23 10:27:00
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