London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

Cruise tourism restart: VI welcomes first cruise ship today!

Cruise tourism restart: VI welcomes first cruise ship today!

At 9:00 am, today, October 13, 2021, the Virgin Islands is expected to welcome Seabourn Odyssey with a total of 462 guests, according to the Virgin Islands Ports Authority’s website, representing the first cruise ship with passengers to grace the territory’s shores in months.

“Tomorrow, I need everyone to know that you don’t need to go to the eyes specialist, what you see is what you get, a cruise ship returning through God’s help,” a pleased Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said.

He was delivering remarks at a ceremony at the Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, to welcome back cruising to the territory.

Cruise ships have been coming to the territory but not allowing passengers to get on land; however, this will change from today.

Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the berthing of this first ship today, October 13, 2021, represents the rebirth of cruise tourism.


Rebirth of cruise tourism


“The berthing of this first ship represents the rebirth of cruise tourism…we are happy to report that we are well on our way for a successful season.”

Premier Fahie said the ceremony was important to celebrate and to give thanks for the rejuvenation of this sector.

“Some persons would ask why this big, as we say in our culture, toodoodoo, but I want to explain something to you, whenever God bless you, with blessings such as this, as the restarting of a major revenue generator, not only got government but for so many families, you have to hold a ceremony, not just a ceremony to say we are starting and we are ready but to say, “God thank you.”

“It is very important because at the start of the pandemic, the world over was filled with uncertainty and this pandemic has been the worst to hit the world in over 100 years and perhaps the worse in terms of social and economic impact, it’s as if time itself stood still. As a matter of fact, some countries are still locked down up to today, and there were those among us that were filled with doubt and despair, yet as leaders, we remained resolute,” he proclaimed.

'We must go forward'- Clive McCoy


Director of the BVI Tourist Board Mr Clive McCoy said from his end, they are ready to welcome back guests.

“The past 19 months have cost us so many trials and tribulations. Worldwide we had to shift our focus and priority to remaining safe and staying healthy. So today, we celebrate this milestone of going forward. We are still in a fight to understand a mutating virus and how we navigate to save lives and to staying healthy while living in our lives in the most fulfilling way possible, but we must go forward,” he said.

He also stated that with all that has changed over the past 19 months, what has not changed is “our desire to ensure that our visitors have the most refreshing and special time as possible in our territory.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×