St. Kitts ready to welcome Queen Mary 2

Tuesday, February 3, 2004

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Tourism officials here at pulling out all the stops to welcome the Queen Mary 2, the world's largest cruise ship to St. Kitts on its inaugural Caribbean cruise.

Officials said that the visit of the QM2, which drops anchor in the Basseterre waters on Tuesday morning, is not only a significant milestone, but also a tribute to St. Kitts and Nevis that augurs well for the continued development prospects of the cruise industry.

"It is a rare opportunity to showcase the best that St. Kitts has to offer, as the Queen Mary 2 visitors can enjoy the natural beauty and hospitality of our island, visit historic sites, bask on our inviting beaches, indulge in our scenic and rainforest tours, partake in a variety shopping and revel in the ambiance and charm of downtown Basseterre," the St. Kitts Tourism Authority said in a statement Monday.

Hailed as the 'Queen among Queens' of all vessels, it is regaled as the worthy successor to its sister vessels the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and today's Queen Elizabeth 2.

This historic vessel is expected to sail into the Harbour of Basseterre at 7:00 A.M. and depart at 6:00 A.M. 

To facilitate the large contingency of international press aboard the vessel, press tours would be organised to expose the media to the highlights of the local tourism attractions and new developments.

Each passenger would be presented a coin from the "Come Back Coin Programme." The programme is a joint marketing initiative developed by Tropical Shipping and the St. Kitts Tourism Authority in an attempt to convert cruise passengers into long-stay visitors. 

The coin features a 1-800 number and website that visitors could utilise to access free hotel stays and special discounts on a wide variety of tourism services, products and excursions upon their return to the Federation.

While steel band music will welcome the visitors, a farewell folklore presentation will bid them farewell. 

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