Government greenlights first cruise ship in 20 months

Although not officially part of Phase 4 of government’s border reopening plan, cruise line Holland America has been given the nod to call on Grand Cayman on 28 Dec., making it the first cruise to touch local shores in almost 20 months.

The Ministry of Tourism and Transport, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed that Cabinet had approved the cruise line’s Nieuw Statendam ship for docking in George Town, under specific conditions.

Cayman closed its borders on 16 March, 2020 as COVID-19 raged around the world, but last Saturday (20 Nov.), borders were unlocked allowing the return of tourists.

However, cruise tourism was not part of that plan and government officials had previously indicated that there would be no return until next year.

“Grand Cayman will be the first port of call for the Holland America Nieuw Statendam, and the capacity will be limited to 1,600 passengers. Guests and crew aboard the ship will be subjected to exactly the same requirements as stayover visitors, such as a pre-arrival testing,” Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said in the statement.

The Nieuw Statendam’s negotiated conditions:

1. Grand Cayman must be the first port of call.
2. Passenger capacity is limited to a maximum of 1,600 representing 60% capacity of the vessel.
3. All guests and crew having the final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise.
4. All guests must have a negative viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of their embarkation.
5. All guests and crew going ashore must observe local requirements for wearing the require PPE such as facial masks and 6 feet physical distancing.
6. No unwell guests or crew will be allowed ashore.

Grand Cayman forms part of the cruise line’s seven-day cruise to the western Caribbean, for vaccinated passengers only, which departs Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 26 Dec.

Though the tourism ministry indicated Cayman will be the first port of call, the online itinerary for the cruise shows it heading to Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, on 27 Dec., then Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on 29 Dec. and then docking in George Town, Grand Cayman on 30 Dec. The cruise proceeds to Cozumel, Mexico, and then back to Florida.

There is no indication when that itinerary was posted, nor if it would be updated.

The ministry statement said both it and the Department of Tourism will work with the Port Authority to execute the single cruise ship call on 28 Dec.

Bryan assured safety remains paramount for government.

“The health and safety of our people and visitors to our shores continues to be a priority in our phased reopening plan. Currently, over 1,000 Caymanians are displaced due to the closure of our cruise ports, and as we safely reopen our borders, the cruise sector will be a key part of the tourism industry’s recovery. This single cruise ship call presents an opportunity for us to find the safest way to welcome back our cruise visitors while we can continue to navigate the challenges of the pandemic,” he said.

As part of the agreement for the call, all guests must have a negative viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen) taken within 2 days of their embarkation, the statement said.

Bryan said discussions on the wider return of cruise tourism continues.

“This has been an ongoing conversation with the cruise industry about what conditions are required to make this a safe experience for everyone involved and how to make that feasible. We thank Holland America for being an excellent partner and leading the way for this new era of cruise travel in the Cayman Islands for the foreseeable future. My people can be assured that my approach and negotiation strategy is for quality first,” he said.