Headlines:
| Millions lost as cruise ship turns away from Jamaica |
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| Monday, 10 December 2007 | |
A major cruise ship was forced to turn away from Jamaica Monday,
costing the tourism industry millions in potential earnings. The Royal Caribbean cruise liner "THE QUEST", turned away from two ports due to "alleged rough seas". The 700 passenger ship arrived on schedule at 7:30 Monday morning and waited outside Port Antonio for a pilot to bring it into port. But the boatman contracted to take the pilot out to the ship allegedly refused to do so due to rough seas and the liner was turned away from the port. The decision did not go down well with tour bus operators who were assigned to take the visitors on pre-arranged tours. Agents of the liner then decided that the passengers would disembark in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, but upon reaching Ocho Rios, there was no pilot assigned to meet the liner. The Quest therefore sailed away from Jamaica. The news comes just days after Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said this was shaping up to be one of the best winter tourist seasons for Jamaica. |