MSC Magnifica and Explora II mark inaugural visits to Barbados

The Barbados Tourism Authority has been marking a significant growth in the 2024-25 cruise season, as recently they welcomed two vessels on their inaugural visit to the shores of the island nation. MSC Cruises’ MSC Magnifica and Explora II made their first voyage to the country, bringing more than 2500 passengers together, boosting the tourism sector.

As per the details, both Explora II and Magnifica docked at the Port of Bridgetown on Friday, 15^th November, 2024. Both the vessels were welcomed with a traditional plaque exchange ceremony, making their inaugural visits to the shores of the country, memorable and comfortable.

The Tourism Minister of Barbados, Ian Gooding-Edghill and Managing Director of the Barbados Port Inc David Jean Marie and several other officials extended a warm welcome to the Captains and Crew members of both the respective vessels, i.e. Explora II and MSC Magnifica.

MSC Magnifica on the shores of Barbados

The MSC Magnifica sailed into the shores of the country for the first time on Friday. The vessel had the capacity to carry around 966 crew members and 2155 guests, captained by Vincenzo Miele. The captain of MSC Magnifica and all the crew members of the ship were welcomed by a delegation led by the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill.

Captain Vincenzo Miele views on their arrival: The Captain sailed in from Fort de France, Martinique and expressed delight to be in Barbados. He also extended gratitude to the tourism minister and other delegates for making their inaugural visit, unforgettable.

He further said that their journey to Barbados has been totally fantastic. He added that Barbados is one of their favourite islands as he appreciated the hospitality of the island nation which enhances the overall experiences of all their guests.

What did Tourism Minister, Ian Gooding-Edghill speak on the inaugural call of MSC Magnifica to Barbados?

He first extended a warm welcome to all the passengers boarding the vessel and called the inaugural arrival of the vessel, “a significant moment” for the tourism authority of Barbados.

Tourism Minister, Ian Gooding-Edghill said that MSC Magnifica has delivered countless memorable journeys as one of the musical class ships. He appreciated its diverse facilities and amenities including, bars, lounges, family-friendly experiences, relaxed cruising style and much more.

The Minister, Gooding-Edghill said that he is truly grateful to MSC for their continued partnership and is aiming to import the MSC Magnifica in the near future.

Explora II docked at Port of Bridgetown, Barbados

The Explora II is the newest vessel in the Explora Journeys fleet, captained by Serena Melani, brought around 427 passengers to the country. The Captain of the vessel, Serena Melani is the first woman in the cruise industry history to captain a new ocean cruise ship launch in February 2020.

While shedding light on her visit to Barbados, she said that it is truly nice to be back and bring another vessel to the shores of the island nation. She previously brought the Explora I to the island during the 2023-2024 cruise winter season.

As per the details, the Explora Journeys’ Explora II cruise itinerary began in Barcelona, Spain. They will make their six homeporting visits to Barbados during the 2024-2025 winter season. The next port of call for the Explora II is Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Barbados 2024-2025 Cruise Season

Barbados started its 2024-2025 cruise season on 1^st November, 2024 with the arrival of Seven Seas Grandeur. The vessel was captained by Aristeidis Mertzanis, having the capacity to carry 548 crew members and 681 guests. Since the great start of Barbados cruise season, they have welcomed thousands of passengers to the country, with several cruises making their call to the country.

Infrastructure development by Barbados Tourism Industry

During the welcoming address of MSC Magnifica, the Tourism Minister of Barbados, Ian Gooding-Edghill shed light on several key infrastructure projects undertaken by them. He said that all those projects have been designed with a vision to enhance both safety and convenience for passengers and staff members.

He added that they have resurfaced the area along 23 enabling smooth and safer transit of passengers and cargo handling equipment. He also mentioned about creating a dedicated locker area south of the home port terminal for the storage of personal departure areas.

The Tourism Minister, Gooding-Edghill also highlighted about the large screens which have been displayed at the port for checking the real time tour departure and boarding information. The Minister added that they are committed to facilitate seamless passenger flow, ensuring the enhanced experience of all the crew members and passengers.