Antigua celebrates return of cruiser

Antigua greeted its first cruise ship passengers since the covid pandemic started with steelpan music in St John’s on Thursday.

Tourism and health officials turned out for a special ceremony held on the pier at Heritage Quay to welcome in the luxurious Star Breeze and her hundreds of fully vaccinated passengers. The liner was greeted with a water cannon salute usually reserved for ships visiting for the first time.

Windstar Cruises’ Star Breeze carried less than 300 passengers and crew for the two-day trip to Antigua, which also went to Falmouth Harbour.

Antigua’s iconic Hell’s Gate Steel Orchestra played a medley of high-energy hits – from Bob Marley to Burning Flames and Boasta – as the beaming passengers waved from the upper decks. As they began to alight, singer Annia Matthews sang the national anthem and later performed a cultural presentation.

The cruise industry adds millions to local coffers each year in taxes and expenditure by those who disembark. But globally the sector became a symbol for the pandemic as it closed down worldwide.