MS Ventura berths at Port Zante with over 3,000 passengers

The Explorer of the Seas dwarfs the small Seabourne Quest as it comes alongside St. Kitts’ Port Zante on Sunday. Photo by Erasmus Williams.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, NOVEMBER 28TH 2011 (CUOPM) – Stakeholders in the cruise industry in St. Kitts on Monday welcomed the 116,000-ton passenger MS Ventura when it berth on Monday with over 3,000 passengers. The P&O cruise liner with a capacity of 3,100 passengers arrived from St. Marten with 3,083 passengers bringing to just over 6,700 passengers visiting Sunday and Monday.

The Ventura, the largest of seven ships currently in service with P&O Cruises, is on its second call for the 2011/2012 season and five more calls are scheduled. The Ventura is also the sister ship of the MS Azura which visits on Saturday.

The Azura visited on November 9th with five more calls are planned for the rest of the Season. The visit Monday by the MS Ventura with 3,083 passengers brings to three, the number of cruise ships berthing for the week with a total of 6,793 visitors. On Sunday, the 450-passenger Seabourne Quest made its maiden visit. It arrived from Puerto Rico with 426 passengers before departing for Bequia.

The 3,840-passenger Explorer of the Seas arrived on Sunday with 3,290 passengers and 1191 crew from Antigua and departed for the United States. Most of the 3,740 passengers went on sightseeing tours and indulged in other activities. The second Royal Caribbean International cruise line ship, the 3,114-passenger Adventure of the Seas is scheduled to visit on Tuesday, followed by another Vision Class ship, the 3,840-passenger Navigator of the Seas on Wednesday.

Also visiting Wednesday is the 255-passenger Royal Clipper. The 2,224 passenger Norwegian Dawn and the 180-passenger Star Clipper berths on Thursday; the 3,050-passenger Carnival Victory on Friday and the 3,597-passenger Azura on Saturday.