One of the cruise industry’s most upscale vessels, Nieuw Statendam, docked at Freeport Harbour on Friday, bringing 2,300 passengers to the island for a one-day unscheduled excursion.
Port Director at the Freeport Harbour Company Captain Orlando Forbes said the cruise vessel usually calls at Great Stirrup Cay.
“We tried to get them to come to Freeport and are excited that it finally happened today,” said Forbes.
“This is historic and we will continue to work with them to see if they can make Freeport a part of their itinerary. We are hopeful that will happen.”
Forbes noted that when the pandemic began in 2020, cruise ship visits came to an abrupt halt.
“Now, we are coming to a place where we are beginning to see cruise activity again and now climbing steadily towards 200 cruises annually. This is positive news for Grand Bahama,” he added.
Nieuw Statendam is operated by Holland America Line and is one of two ships making its first stops in Grand Bahama this month.
The second ship, Star Legend, operated by Windstar Cruise Line, is set to arrive on December 16.
Forbes said Freeport Harbour officials continue to work with Carnival Cruise Line building the new cruise port in East End, and with Royal Caribbean on its proposed plans for the harbor.
“Those projects are coming along positively and as we look down the road, I think, cruise ships are going to really be the anchor for Grand Bahama,” Forbes said.
Nieuw Statendam’s voyage started in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, November 26, with stops in Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic. The vessel was scheduled to sail to Key West, however, that port was unavailable, and Grand Bahama was chosen as the alternative.
Acknowledging that the ship’s unplanned voyage is not only beneficial to tourism stakeholders but is also a fantastic opportunity for the island to position itself as a come-to destination, Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey said the key to that is sustainability and increased cruise calls.
“We are working on that with the Ministry of Tourism as we continue to promote Grand Bahama,” Moxey noted.
“The ship will call again next year and with Holland America Line brand, I believe there are tremendous opportunities there. We are going to be in discussions with them to see how we can get our island added to their itinerary,” she added.
“So, we want to ensure that our touristic product is top notch, because that is what guests look for, the authentic experience, and we are collaborating with stakeholders to provide that for our visitors.”
Nieuw Statendam is second in the line of Pinnacle-class cruise ships. It was named best new cruise ship, receiving the 2019 Travelage West Wave Award, and best mid-size cruise ship for 2020, picking up the Travelpulse Travvy Award, due to its inspired design and entertainment options.
The 2,666-passenger vessel is 975 feet in length and 114.8 feet wide.
Captain Noel O’Driscoll said after not having the Key West port available for docking, Grand Bahama was its best alternative.
“We hope our guests enjoy the island and it can be put on the map for future calls,” said O’Driscoll.
Officials from the Ministry of Tourism, customs, and immigration departments, along with police officers were also on hand to welcome the captain, crew, and passengers.
“It is important for us to continue to work with the Ministry for Grand Bahama,” said Nuvolari Chotoosingh, general manager of the Ministry of Tourism, GB.
“We certainly want to synergize our efforts to make sure we take advantage of every opportunity that becomes available for the island because it will benefit the entire island.”
