Resilient Lady’s Inaugural Visit to St. Vincent illuminated by spectacular light display

Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady which marked its inaugural call to St Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday left the island with a spectacular light show displaying its name. The vessel brought more than 2000 passengers to the country on its maiden call, marking a great start to the new relationship between the vessel and the nation. 

The vessel is one of the nine inaugural calls scheduled for the 2024-2025 cruise season of the island nation and one of the 377 total scheduled calls. The inaugural visit of Resilient Lady was welcomed with a plaque handover ceremony, celebrating the ship’s first-ever visit to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Grand Welcoming Ceremony 

The welcoming ceremony was attended by several tourism delegates, including the CEO of Port Authority, Minister Carl James; CEO of Tourism Authority, Annette Mark; Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable development and cultures, Carlos James, and other delegates. 

The tourism delegates presented a plaque to the Captain of the vessel, Nick and extended welcome to all the passengers to experience the lush landscapes, vibrant culture, and unmatched beauty of the Caribbean region. “Today, we had a wonderful time welcoming this inaugural call to Port Kingstown, St. Vincent & The Grenadines.” 

Beginning of new relationship between St Vincent and the Grenadines and Resilient Lady 

The inaugural visit by Resilient Lady marks a beginning of new relation between the vessel and the island. Shedding light on this new relation, the Marketing Manager of St Vincent and the Grenadines Port Authority, Sophia Cloud expressed optimism towards fostering a strong and lasting relationship with the cruise. 

Captain Nick also expressed excitement on marking the first call to the shores of St Vincent and the Grenadines. “Virgin is a new company out there in business. A lot of us from previous lives have worked in cruise industry, and have been to St Vincent and know how beautiful it is, and we're absolutely thrilled to be back.”

He further expressed excitement and called it an exceptionally proud moment to explore the stunning landscapes, beautiful waters, delicious food and pristine beaches of the country. 

2025 – Record Year for St Vincent and the Grenadines: Tourism Minister 

The Tourism Minister Carlos James emphasised on the record-breaking achievements of 2025 and referred it another record year of consistent calls. He mentioned about witnessing bustling ports with several activities, excitement and entertainment options. The Minister asserted that the busy day in ports are turning out to be highly beneficial for the tour operators, taxi drivers and for all those who are involved in the operation of welcoming vessels to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Minister James said that 2024-2025 cruise season has been a record year for them and since then, they have already marked a remarkable growth of 25%. “We are seeing continuous growth and it's the first time in the history of this country's tourism. We have hit the mark of 100,000 for visitors.”

The Minister aimed at continuing to make efforts with a vision to promote St Vincent and the Grenadines, making it a premier Caribbean destination.