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First cruise ship in nearly 10 mths Rhapsody of the Seas arrives in VI

- Ship is in VI for warm layup
It may not be a cruise ship full of tourists, nevertheless, the sight of a cruise ship in nearly 10 months in the tourist destination of the Virgin Islands is certainly a welcome sight. Photo: VINO
Rhapsody of the Seas arrived at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park around 7:30am in Monday, January 11, 2020. Photo: VINO
Rhapsody of the Seas arrived at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park around 7:30am in Monday, January 11, 2020. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- It may not be a cruise ship full of tourists, nevertheless, the sight of a cruise ship in nearly 10 months in the tourist destination of the Virgin Islands is certainly a welcome sight.

Rhapsody of the Seas arrived at Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park around 7:30am today, Monday, January 11, 2021, for a warm layup.

It is the first cruise vessel to the Virgin Islands since the Territory put a halt to cruise vessels on March 14, 2020, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Novel Coronavirus a global pandemic on March 11, 2020.

No cruise passengers

Rhapsody of the Seas comes with 80 crew members and no cruise passengers.

According to Marketing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, Ms Natasha J. Chalwell, the crew assumes a period of 14 days quarantine, as part of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stipulations. 

Chalwell noted that presently there is no request from the ship's agent, Romasco Group of Companies, for crew members to get off the ship following the expiration of the quarantine period.

Tomorrow, January 12,  2021, Grandeur of the Seas is expected to join Rhapsody of the Seas on the Pier in a hybrid connection.

The ships are expected to be docked in the Virgin Islands for an initial 1 month period, according to Ms Challwell.

13 Responses to “First cruise ship in nearly 10 mths Rhapsody of the Seas arrives in VI”

  • Hmm (11/01/2021, 10:28) Like (10) Dislike (34) Reply
    So we can let cruise ships in (even without passengers) but ferries are still banned?? Whats the logic that allows one and prevents the other?
    • WHY? (11/01/2021, 10:50) Like (30) Dislike (7) Reply
      Ignorance is bliss! If someone needs to explain the difference in the two situations, you need not even be permitted to ask questions or blog.

      Ferries bring passengers joker.
    • Watching on.. (11/01/2021, 11:55) Like (12) Dislike (1) Reply
      Annnnnnd there we go....without fail the ignorance starts.
  • Reality check (11/01/2021, 10:38) Like (34) Dislike (8) Reply
    This ship and the other one which will be going it shortly will be running their generators the whole time they are on the dock spewing contaminants over Road Town and the surrounding hillsides. If they are just "hanging out" why can't they be anchored out in the channel off of Peter Island like the other commercial vessels "in storage"?
    • Dockage (11/01/2021, 11:09) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
      Good point RC.
      IMO the BVI gov wants to obtain some amount of dockage income from these 2 warm layup ships.
      • My hope (11/01/2021, 12:39) Like (5) Dislike (4) Reply
        I hope These. Two ships remember our kindness and become regulars when ships get clearance to come,,, Once Civil Servants don't pressure govt to keep lock down selfishly because their pay checks are sure,,,, that's what been going on.
    • Um No. (11/01/2021, 12:20) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
      You obviously know very little of the industry or the emissions. The scrubbers installed on ships have comply with the new 2020 standards for air and water quality set by the International Maritime Organization
      • NICK (11/01/2021, 13:33) Like (4) Dislike (2) Reply
        So you mean that the smoke coming out of his chimney is clean?pure b.s.
        The smoke is as bad as the one of pockwood pond.
  • V0TER #6 (11/01/2021, 11:51) Like (21) Dislike (4) Reply
    WE COMPLAINE ABOUT EVERYTHING THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY. SHUT YOU MOUTH AND BE THANKFUL.
  • facts (11/01/2021, 12:01) Like (3) Dislike (6) Reply
    Say one day two this government is doing a hell of a good job
  • Yep. Looks good.. (11/01/2021, 12:30) Like (16) Dislike (3) Reply
    Seeing it from the Hill where I live creates a sense of hope, normalcy,, and as a person who's family lively hood depends on the coming of those ships,. It felt good,,,,, However we have to be mindful of creating false hope,,,, This government act like they don't care, they only care about civil servants,,,,
  • Afu (11/01/2021, 20:49) Like (1) Dislike (2) Reply
    Rhapsody of the seas? - BIG DEAL! Who cares?
    • @Afu (11/01/2021, 22:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You said right. Instead of this crew ship nonsense, most important is that we care about maintaining and preserving our natural resources instead. Plant our fruit trees, and breed our cattle. This is gods gift to us natives here.


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