Oceania Nautica makes maiden call to Barbados, bringing over 600 visitors

Barbados: The intimate and luxurious cruise vessel Oceania Nautica made its inaugural call at the Port of Bridgetown in Barbados on Wednesday morning.  

The ship arrived with 624 passengers and 396 crew members, several of which disembarked and engaged in various local excursions.  

Also docking at the Port of Bridgetown at the same time were Celebrity Cruises Summit, Evrima, Queen Mary 2, and Wind Spirit.  

As the Oceania Nautica cruise arrived to the island, a traditional plaque exchange ceremony was held on board the European vessel to mark its maiden call to Barbados.  

During the brief ceremony, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc’s Chief Product Development Officer, Marsha Alleyne expressed the team’s pride over welcoming the magnificent cruise. She said that the island was pleased to mark another inauguration milestone which indicates that the cruise industry is not only recovering from the COVID-19 Pandemic but thriving.  

According to the information, Barbados is expected to have 398 cruise calls during the 2024-2025 winter cruise season, bringing an estimated total of a whopping 698,580 cruise passengers. 

While revealing this data, Alleyne said that this obviously represents a substantial growth in the cruise tourism sector with an increase in port calls as well as 10,470 new passengers as compared to the last cruise season.  

She further added that the surge in the allure of the island nation is reflected in the confidence that the international cruise line have and that they have placed in destination Barbados and this also showcases the island’s ability to provide exceptional experiences to the passengers as well as the crew members.  

Meanwhile, the Staff Captain of the Oceania Nautica cruise, Ante Vidovic also expressed her pleasure to be on the island. She remarked, “It's very nice to be here in your beautiful island of Barbados,” and added that this is the cruise’s inaugural call and the team is hoping it is one of the several calls and they will be coming back in Barbados very often.  

Vidovic noted that the cruise arrived to the island on Wednesday with more than 1000 passengers and crew on board and they are very happy to be here. She further noted that most of the visitors enjoyed the beautiful beaches, culture, food and of course the people.  

Local Excursions in Barbados 

Often referred to as ‘the land of flying fish’, Barbados boasts a number of local tours and excursions in which the cruise visitors can indulge and experience unique things.  

These include Harrison’s Cave, Carlisle Bay, St Nicholas Abbey, Barbados Wildlife Reserve, Bathsheba Beach, Cherry Tree Hill, Mount Gay Rum Visitor Center and St John’s Parish Church.  

The most visited place on the island is Hunte’s Garden which is a tropical garden set in a sinkhole featuring dense flora and serene vibe. It features classical music, bird songs as well as shaded spots for relaxation.  

The attractions are all located close to the port, allowing the cruise traveler to enjoy a leisurely day at a laid back pace.