Queen Mary 2 visits St Kitts

Queen Mary 2 at Basseterre, St Kitts 

Wednesday, February 4, 2004

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts: Steel band and string band music and dancing masquerades greeted hundreds of passengers as they streamed off the tenders of the Queen Mary 2, the largest and most expensive cruise liner in the world, which visited St. Kitts Tuesday on its maiden Caribbean tour.

Commodore of the Queen Mary 2, Ronald Warwick, who has captained several ships, some of which visited St Kitts previously, said he was pleased to see the incredible growth and development that is taking place in the cruise industry in St. Kitts.

"I was very, very pleased to return here today and to see the development of St. Kitts in recognition of the incredible growth that is taking place in the cruise industry," said Commodore Ronald Warwick, who has been a ship's captain since 1958.

"I was reminiscing as we were coming over the horizon in the darkness this morning and I was thinking that we do not need navigational lights in St. Kitts anymore, because of far more lights on the coast line than there ever were when I first came here 10 or 15 years ago. This island has certainly developed," said Commodore Warwick.

"As is demonstrated with this vessel, ships have got large. It would be wrong to say they weren't ever going to get any larger, but I think it would be a while before there is something larger," said Commodore Warwick, who said that St. Kitts is going to score with the new redesigned cruise ship pier.

"Unfortunately we could not dock today because of a documentation situation which we would soon be able to overcome, but I would say that within the whole of the Caribbean, this port is going to become very, very important because of the deep water harbour that you had the foresight to construct," said Commodore Warwick. 

Completed in 1997, the berthing facilities were destroyed by hurricane Georges in 1998, rebuilt and again destroyed in 1999 by hurricane Lenny. The berthing facility was re-designed and reconstructed.

Commodore Warwick said with more and more cruise ships being built, there is need for more and more destinations and as the ships get bigger the destinations are getting fewer.

He said the Queen Mary 2 did not dock in Puerto Rico - the main cruise ship center in the Caribbean - because the waters are not deep enough.

Welcoming the world's largest cruise line to St. Kitts during a ceremony in the Commodore Club on board the QM2, Minister of Tourism Dwyer Astaphan said the Cunard's relationship with the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis symbolises the crème de la crème of cruising in the British market and the inclusion of St. Kitts in the inaugural Caribbean tour is a red letter day not only for Cunard but also St. Kitts and Nevis is a sign of better things to come.

"The relationship thus far has been excellent and I can only see it getting better," Minister Astaphan said. Among the tourism officials on board was General Manager of Delisle Walwyn & Co Ltd, Mr. Denzil Crooke, whose company is agent for the Cunard Cruise Line.

"For many reasons this visit is a very important call and on behalf of the Government and my Ministry in particular and all of the people in this country, we sincerely welcome you to what used to be called the 'Mother Colony of the West Indies - an island which has taken the lead in virtually every social and political development.

Mr. Astaphan presented a large painting of the local sugar industry to Commodore Warrick, before local officials were taken on a guided tour of the largest and most expensive cruise liner in the world.

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