The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis outlined the process for safely harbouring two Royal Caribbean vessels this week. In a press conference today, the Minister of Tourism, Lindsay Grant, said that the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines reached out to the islands to harbour the Vision of the Seas and the Rhapsody of the Seas at Port Zante. Both cruise ships will arrive on August 19th with 70 crew members on each vessel.
According to the Minister, each crew member will be given an RT-PCR test upon arrival and quarantine for 14 days on their vessels. When all crew members receive a negative test at the end of their quarantine, they will be allowed to disembark while observing social distancing and mask-wearing safety measures. There are currently zero active cases of COVID-19 on the island.
“The health and the safety of our citizens, residents, and of our visitors remains our number one priority […] We have taken all the necessary health and safety protocols to ensure that St Kitts and Nevis remains safe.” Minister Grant noted. “This assistance represents the true nature of our people to support others in a time of need,” he added.
The Minister said that he did not doubt that citizens would be welcoming to the crew. He also said that this initiative would benefit many businesses because those on board would be using local amenities.
Port Zante, financed partly by the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, allows the twin-island to host up to three of the largest ships in the world. The islands welcomed an astonishing 1 million cruise passengers for two consecutive years. The small but ambitious Caribbean country now holds the marquee status of larger cruise destinations in the region.
Reputable foreign investors are welcome to obtain St Kitts and Nevis’ valuable citizenship in exchange for an economic contribution. The fund option provides the fastest route to second citizenship, which, when coupled with the Accelerated Application Process, can take 60 days or less. Investors are attracted to St Kitts and Nevis because it is a safe, modern democracy, with high regard for the rule of law. Citizens can easily access almost 160 countries and territories, thanks to Foreign Minister Mark Brantley’s diplomatic efforts.
