Antigua and Barbuda is positioning itself as a marquee Caribbean port, says Asot Michael
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
Sister islands Antigua and Barbuda have a lot to offer to cruise guests, most notably the warmth and hospitality of the local people.
“Our people are our greatest assets and within minutes of arriving, cruise guests and crew will experience the genuine charm of our locals as they take pride in showcasing the best of our islands and providing an unforgettable vacation experience,” remarks the Honourable Asot Michael, Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy.
Of course, adds Michael, Antigua and Barbuda are also known throughout the Caribbean for the multitude of public and easily accessible white and pink sand beaches, turquoise waters, and varied landscapes and coastline.
“Boasting twin-islands, we’re fortunate that we can offer two distinctly different holiday experiences for the price of one, as visitors can travel from the bustling activity on Antigua to the relaxed pace of Barbuda in 15 minutes,” says Michael.
Available excursions and day tours include swimming with stingrays, visiting Betty’s Hope twin sugar mills, ziplining in the rainforest, or touring Nelson’s Dockyard, the world’s only working Georgian naval dockyard and the newest UNESCO World Heritage Site. More adventurous cruise guests can head to the National Sailing Academy, take a 360-degree boat tour of Antigua, or enjoy a kayak tour through the mangroves and offshore islands.
“The size of the island means that none of our excursions take longer than 45 minutes to get to, making it easy for cruise guests to participate in multiple activities during their ship call,” Michael says.
Antigua’s sister island Barbuda is a designated eco-friendly destination and has been marketed at smaller cruise lines. “We’ve followed the approach of other smaller, up-market destination islands, such as St. Barts, where they only allow small cruise ships to berth offshore and tender their passengers to the beach,” comments Michael. “We aim to attract a clientele looking for the ultimate beach island with all its natural beauty.”
Visitors can expect to see new facilities in the city in the near future, such as a central taxi dispatching area and a new shopping district. The Fort James Development project will play a key role in this initiative.
“Fort James will be a beachside recreation facility for both visitors and residents, and will feature restaurants serving authentic local cuisine, cultural shops and boutiques, walking trails, a water park and a museum detailing the history of the Fort,” notes Michael.
Cruise ships mainly dock at St. John’s Cruise Port, which is located in Antigua’s capital St. John’s and was the first in the Caribbean to boast four berths exclusively for cruise vessels. The facility features two finger piers – Nevis Street and Heritage Quay – each with direct access to duty-free shopping centres, cafés and restaurants.
In the past 18 months, the Antigua & Barbuda Cruise Tourism Association, the Antigua Pier Group, the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority and the St. John’s Development Corporation have started work on a US$15 million project to improve port facilities and the surrounding St John’s Harbour area.
Engineers have already dredged the turning basin, and by the start of the 2016-2017 season in October, will have started work on a transport hub for taxis and tour buses, and installed harbour lights and navigational aids adjacent to the turning basin to enable ships to remain in port longer. Other work will include repairing roads and restructuring sidewalks throughout lower St. John’s, expanding the immigration and customs booth, and extending Heritage Quay pier by 500ft to accommodate ships the size of Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum Class.
“Our goal is to provide the most desirable experience for our visitors,” explains Michael. “A total transformation of the port facilities and downtown St. John’s will ensure that our other main gateway that caters to the cruise tourism industry is not left behind. This development will include world-class casinos, cafes and restaurants, hotels, condominiums, and high-end luxury designer shops.”
In addition, the government has signed a US$255 million deal with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation to renovate the island’s main port and harbour in downtown St. John’s. This covers everything from the Heritage Quay to the Deep Water Cargo Facility.
“It’s our goal to return our destination to its marquee position as a premier Caribbean cruise port and we’re committed to both building our cruise industry and providing a better on-island experience for visitors.”
To achieve this aim, tourism authorities have worked with the Caribbean Village Group to market Antigua and Barbuda to various European cruise lines. “We met with Viking Cruises at an international event and the line has now booked multiple calls, starting from November 2016,” says Michael.
Marketing efforts are paying off. Antigua & Barbuda welcomed a total of 662,848 passengers during 343 calls in 2015-2016, a rise of more than 10% from the previous season. This included a record 12 inaugural calls from vessels such as Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Breakaway, P&O Cruises’ Britannia and Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess, three of the largest to have ever docked in St. John’s. The twin island state also handled more calls from European vessels such as Costa Cruises’ Costa Favalosa, TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 3 and AIDA Cruises’ AIDAmar. For the first time, Barbuda hosted a total of 12 calls.
Michael expects this success to continue in 2016-2017. “Antigua will welcome the first call from Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum-class vessel Anthem of the Seas this December,” he says. “This will be the largest ship to visit our port and will position Antigua and Barbuda firmly on itinerary planners’ radars as a destination for mega ships calling in the Caribbean. We’re also excited about the return of Pullmantur Cruises with Zenith, which will embark guests in Antigua.”
Certainly, Antigua and Barbuda’s future as a marquee Caribbean cruise destination looks positive.
“Completing major infrastructure supporting projects like the cruise village at Fort James beach will allow us to entertain thousands of cruise visitors and enhance their experience of beautiful Antigua and Barbuda,” says Michael. “Thanks to the major improvements we’re making to our cruise tourism product, we envision achieving our goal of attracting one million cruise passengers by 2019.”