MV Thomson Celebration makes its virgin call to Dominica

The ship's captain and Bardouille exchange gifts
MV Celebration’s captain and Bardouille exchange gifts

Chief Executive Director of the Dominica Air and Sea Port Authority (DASPA), Benoit Bardouille says he is pleased that the MV Thomson Celebration of TUI Cruises is utilizing the country’s water resource and is urging them to continue.

Bardouille was speaking at a welcome reception aboard the ship on Saturday 29th November 2014, when it made its virgin call to Dominica at the Roseau Cruise Ship Berth.

“I was very happy to say that as I was coming on the gangway that you were about to load water and I can tell you it is the best quality water that you can find,” he said. “When you make future calls please that is one of the things that I would like to see on the agenda.”

He said the government of Dominica has invested in a 500,000 water storage tank to ensure that irrespective of the time of day, ships can load water without affecting any of the other surrounding communities.

“And so we have a guarantee that we can fill the ships with water irrespective of what’s happening,” Bardouille said.

He said the port is constantly making changes and hopefully would soon be able to accommodate larger vessels.

“We are happy with ships like yours because we know that your passengers take advantage of being able to go ashore to explore the wonderful things that we have to offer here in Dominica,” the DASPA CEO added.

Meanwhile the ship’s Captain, Wojciech Ziolkowski, said they were pleased with the welcome.

“We are overwhelmed with the welcome that you have presented us with. It is a great pleasure to be here. I have been here 20 years ago and the breathtaking view arriving this morning of this wonderful island is still the same as it was 20 years ago.”

20 years ago Ziolkowski was a Second Officer.

There was a plaque and gift exchange among the ship’s captain and tourism stakeholders here.

MV Thomson Celebration of TUI Cruises has a passenger capacity of 1,378 will make eleven (11) calls to Dominica during the 2014/2015 cruise season. The ship is scheduled to sail from St. Kitts to Dominica; then to Barbados.

This inaugural call is the second of twenty two calls that the TUI vessels plan on making to Dominica and the third of eight inaugural calls for the 2014/2015 cruise season.

During the 2013/2014 cruise season, there were one hundred and eighty-eight (188) calls and a total of 282,404 passengers. Approximately 191 cruise ships are expected to call at Dominica’s ports during this season bringing a total of 292,210 cruise visitors to the island.

MV Celebration

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2 Comments

  1. The Facts
    November 30, 2014

    Welcome MV Thomson, captain, crew and passengers. I am happy to read that you visited our country. Please come again and soon enough! :)
    A 500,000 water storage tank that they could refill their ships! This must have cost a lot of money to construct. Wow! This is another of D/ca’s progress under the leadership of the PM. At the same time Dominica receives monetary compensation for this water. This is something to be elated about.
    I may be prejudice because I am a D/can-born. I visited Dominica a few times. I love to drink the water. Whenever I drank it, sometimes straight from the tap (I do not need for it to be in the fridge or have ice in it), my review of it is, “the taste is oh so delicious!” Hm, Hm, Hm! :lol: Great and healthy drinking water, free of pollution.
    Dominicans should be proud of this and whatever other progress have been implemented. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Even from afar I love Dominica and take an interest in what is occurring there. Sorry! I can’t be in two places at the same time, one warm and the other cold, the latter for now anyway for some months to come. I wished though, I would certainly opt for the warm climate. :lol: Anyway, I have adapted. I am comfortable here. :)
    God bless you nationals! God bless Dominica and with continued natural resources as also fresh drinking and bathing water. This is a blessing from God to be thankful for and appreciate.
    A Special Thanksgiving Day should be instituted.

  2. Malatete
    November 30, 2014

    Very welcome news although this not exactly an inaugural call by this ship, which is owned by Holland America Line (it was launched as the “Noordam” 31 years ago and has visited Dominica in that guise) It is on long-term Charter to Thomson Cruise, part of U.K. registered Thomson TUI plc, which in turn is majority owned by German TUI AG. Perhaps we know the latter better through the “Mein Schiff” (German for “My Ship”) series of cruise ships, operated in a joint venture with Royal Caribbean Cruises but specifically targeted at the German travel market.
    I very much hope the visit report of the newly refurbished “Thomson Celebration”will be encouraging for Dominica.

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