The recent announcement of 18 homeporting calls by MSN Cruises this winter season was welcomed by many in the hospitality industry. To be sure, there had been a few complaints about homeporting by Celebrity Cruises last summer in terms of disappointing earnings.
Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Roger Lawrence explained soon after taking office that many passengers of such ships are indeed focussed on (dis)embarking and perhaps less inclined to take tours, visit attractions or go shopping. However, a considerable number of them do stay on the island several days before and/or after their cruise.
Occupancy of the vessels had also been relatively low back then, but that is now improving and expected to average around 60 per cent for a combined total of about 54,000 visitors. Homeporting has other benefits too like increasing airlift, in this case with charters from Europe, and the possibility of provisioning the ships and offering additional auxiliary services.
It obviously means additional income for Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) and Port St. Maarten, both government-owned companies that can no doubt use such following the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis and its impact on travel. There are logistical challenges and investments will be needed to grow the homeporting business in the future, but the prospect is clearly there.
The move further strengthens the country’s position as a major industry player in the Caribbean with the ability to adapt and cater to new market demands. That’s why the summer Celebrity cruises at a time when the ships could not operate out of US harbours were crucial.
The Friendly Island thus once again confirmed itself as a good and reliable partner to the cruise lines, which is something not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.
