Carnival Liberty called at the port of Kralendijk in Bonaire on 19 January, marking the first time a Carnival Cruise Line ship has visited the island.

After the ship docked at the port with 2,984 passengers, Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB) hosted a welcome ceremony. Offering passengers and crew a ‘real taste of Bonaire’, the event highlighted various elements of the island’s cultural heritage including entertainment, local cuisine, arts and crafts.

During the event, Bonaire’s governor Edison Rijna and commissioner James Kroon presented the ship’s captain Leonardo Contarino with a Bonaire flag and a plaque commemorating the maiden call. Captain Contarino and Carnival’s officers were also presented with Gold Ambassador Medals and Bonaire coffee books by TCB representatives and Edsel Winklaar, the commissioner of Tourism and Economic Development.

“It is a distinct pleasure for us to welcome Carnival Cruise Line to Bonaire,” said Winklaar. “The arrival of the first Carnival ship is a testament to the hard work and perseverance of our government and cruise tourism representatives to increase port calls from key cruise lines operating in the Caribbean region. Bonaire offers a unique island experience, which is clearly a contributing factor to its appeal to cruise ship passengers.”

Carnival Liberty will return to Bonaire for a total of nine calls throughout 2015. Carnival Pride, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Triumph and Carnival Valor will also visit Bonaire this year, while the cruise line has already booked calls for 2016.