Nagra Plunkett, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE MSS Holiday Dream cruise ship, with its 408 crew members and 687 passengers, made its inaugural call on Jamaica yesterday at the Montego Bay Pier.
The visit of the Spanish vessel followed two years of dialogue between local cruise shipping stakeholders and their overseas counterparts.
The vessel has committed to making weekly calls in the resort city until 2008, and will be semi-home porting at the local pier.
"The arrival of a new line and vessel to our shores gives me great pleasure, that feeling of accomplishment," said Harry Maragh, president of the Jamaica Shipping Association and chief executive officer of Lannaman and Morris Limited. "I remember very clearly when these discussions first started and the many challenges that we met along the way and here we are today."
"This line and its intention are unique," continued Mr. Maragh. "They intend to call weekly, all year round and purchase some of our local produce."
BRING ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
In welcoming the new vessel to Jamaica, William Tatham, vice-president of cruise shipping at the Port Authority of Jamaica, said he is hoping that as the new shipping line continues to grow, more ships from the company will bring additional business to Jamaica.
"Everything indicates they are a growing company and we hope that if we can continue to improve and provide them with the best of services, they will also look to grow with us and put more ships in," noted Mr. Tatham. "With the development of all the Spanish hotels as well in Jamaica, it's almost a natural for us to work together and try and build the Spanish Cruise shipping as well."
Mr. Tatham went on to explain that on the European continent the two fastest nations growing in cruise shipping are the Germans and the Spanish. Jamaica successfully landed home-port from the Germans, which is the Aida Cruises, four year ago. Aida Cruises home ports in the island every Saturday during the winter season and does a weekly port of call in Ocho Rios.
