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The Carnival Venezia, commanded by Crescenzo Palomba, berthed last Saturday, marking the start of Barbados’ winter cruise season for 2023–2024.
Ian Gooding-Edghill, Minister of Tourism and International Transport, greeted Captain Palomba and his entourage of over 1,300 people on the island. He was happy that the first ship call of the winter cruise season was made.
“We think having the first vessel call into Barbados is a fantastic opportunity for us. Naturally, cruise travel accounts for a sizable portion of the island’s economy, according to Mr. Gooding-Edghill.
He congratulated Carnival Cruise Lines for being a dedicated partner to the destination and mentioned how the company has been a long-time cruise partner of Barbados.
According to Minister Gooding-Edghill, Barbados is a popular destination, as evidenced by the fact that cruise ships include the island on their itineraries. He declared, “This represents economic growth for Barbados and strengthens our standing as a top travel destination.”
The Minister of Tourism revealed that Barbados’ current estimates for the 2018 winter cruise season are 392 cruise calls with an expected 715,527 passengers, up from 358 calls with 608,583 passengers for the previous season.
“It is an honour to be in Barbados… and we are happy to be the first ship,” stated Captain Palomba. He noted that the décor aboard the ship is distinct from what is typically found on a Carnival ship.
This ship is brand-new from Carnival and has a lively Italian design, making it very different from the mothership. We made an effort to try something new. the first vessel of the Vista class,” he declared.
The Carnival Venezia is sailing nine-day Caribbean cruises out of Brooklyn, New York, where it is homeporting. Carnival Venezia will visit the Port of Bridgetown three times this season. (https://thecaribbeannewsnow.com/barbados-welcomes-carnival-venezia/)
