The first cruise ship of the Winter Tourist Season glided into the Port in Roseau on Thursday morning to the sound of conch shells and curious onlookers.
Tour operators, vendors and taxi men lined the Bayfront as the Norwegian Sun dropped anchor and its passengers positioned themselves on deck to take a look at the Nature Isle.
“We are happy, very happy the first cruise ship come in today,” a vendor told Dominica News Online. She was so busy placing her wares up for sale she did not even have time to say any more.
A taxi man told DNO that the coming of the ship will ease some of the financial burdens, which he said everyone is feeling. “Yes, I am happy because things tight,” he said.
Dominica will be getting 37 fewer cruise calls this year compared to last year. A total of 198 ships dropped anchor in Dominica last year.
Despite this, tourism officials have expressed optimism that this year’s season will be fruitful. “Cruise tourism is a major part of the industry because it employs many grass roots people. So many people depend on the industry to survive. It has always excited me when the season begins,” Tourism Minister, Ian Douglas, said earlier this month.
He said one of his major tasks is to convince Carnival Cruise lines to return to Dominica.
That cruise line ended its 21 year relationship with Dominica in 2010, citing the increase in fuel prices as the main reason.
It is expected to make one call to Dominica during this new season.
Dominica needs to buckle up and try there best with our AGRICULTURE
the way people talking is like Roseau people that have Roseau dirty. People come from all over the island to Roseau because it is the main commercial centre. we must all learn to put our garbage in the bins provided when we come to town. it is not a Ja-Roseau project, it is a project for all of us.
I agree with you. I have seen people at the bus stop eat and leave their garbage right where they eat.
As usual Dominicans are so easily impressed with beeg feengs.
Ask any tour guide/taxi driver who they make more money off of the cruise passenger or the stay over tourist and the answer is hands down the stay over tourist but does anyone show excitement when they see tourists coming off ferries and LIAT? Anyone demanding to know what Govt is doing to increase stay over arrivals? No but big excitement for the beeg crooze sheep. It beeg eh? it cohmz from ahmeerieecah.
Its so easy to bamaboozle you people. Skerro and his cabal are having a field day with you. Doing nothing but giving you a couple of beeg snacks like roads and crooze sheeps but not investing one dollar in the bread and butter of the island e.g. agriculture and stayover arrivals. As a result there are no jobs, no opportunities for your kids, higher taxes, higher electricty bills and higher food costs and there you people are cheering for the crooze sheep.
Whilst you are being impressed at least demand some answers nuh? Demand to know their plans to help the farmers diversify and increase yield and export potential. Demand to know what they are doing to help our local meat producers, for example, to improve and increase production so we can cut down more on food import bill. Demand to know what they are doing to help our manufacturers increase their purchases of local raw materials and cut down their operating costs so they can be more viable. Demand to know what they are doing to get more stayover tourist arrivals to the islands so we can increase foreign revenue coming DIRECTLY into the pockets of our local people.
Ask them why when they have shown no interest at all in tourism and consistently allocate $1 to promotion they are now building a $20 million hotel. That knowing opening date is expected next year, the budget for tourism for the next year remains at $1. Demand to know how do they plan to fill that hotel?
Ask some questions nuh! Demand some answers nuh!Show the government that you are not as dumb as they think you are. Surprise them a bit! At least for your childrens sakes if not yours!
…And what are you too doing as you offer advice? Tell us of your plans. Share them with us. Some are doing more than you could ever fathom.
Very beautiful photo.beautifyl sky.
The cruise ship is huge and beautiful. I hope their visit will be a successful one and that especially Dominican taxi drivers and vendors benefit from their visit.
Good weather, a sunny and bright day is important to enable them to travel around to sight see and to enjoy their stay.
Keep on dreaming your soo tee wer…In the meantime Skerrit and his cabal is plunging the country to hell.
are we getting better or worse.does a drop in ship arrival means an improvement.lets think…………
But how the Headline and story saying the “ship drop anchor”? The ship looks securely moored alongside the berth. Can anyone else see that, or is it just me?
It’s just u because you don’t read…I guess ‘drop anchor’ was used as a synonym for ‘arrive.’ I guess DNO is just trying to be creative. Check out this page below and see how many ways ‘drop anchor’ can be used.
http://thesaurus.com/browse/drops+anchor
the slave ships return and we all dance and sing..
why are some comments so bitter!! If you knew your history, you would never mention slave ships & cruise ships in the same breath.
So happy that the cruise season has reopened. Our economy needed that boost..I just had hope for improved traffic arrangements..The diversion from the Bayfront causes a traffic mess trying to get into town from the South..Traffic Department/Tourism Authorities please do something.
stupes
im happy for my country but i do hope the place is clean and inviting also the roads are in proper condition. get rid of the stray dogs they do make a nasty mess.
…And all the beggers, some of whom are on illegal drugs. They are a sore sight, obviously not overall groomed. I have noticed this when I visited DA. The tourists are not pleased that they beg them for money. It gives a country as DA a bad reputation. They use profane language and could also harm the tourists if they do not give them money. It could be a dangerous situation. They should be kept away from especially the tourists.
welcome them
Lord help clean up the Town.
dno could have pput some mre pics up.
Beautiful..that’s the photo of the day….Thanks DNO
We look forward to welcoming our visitors to our shores!
finally some money for taxi drivers > but on the other hand roseau never get a proper clean up to welcome tourist . u could see rubbish on certain corners in town
Nationals must also keep the town clean. It is their town. If they love their country, their town, they will take pride in it and keep it clean. Garbage should be placed in a bin and should be regularly picked up to also avoid a stench.
Tourists always notice the negative aspect of a country and this is the vision that they take back with them and relay it to their family, friends and co-workers, the latter, for those who are employed. They will say the country and the people are poor. The Minister of Tourism should be aware of that.
Many Dominicans are financially better off and happier than those tourists who reside in and progressive countries.
I am pleased but your figures are wrong. According to Lennox and cruisetimetables.com we only getting 105 cruise arrivals for the season (from 1 Oct. this year to 31 March next year). Check it out and tell me I’m wrong.
finally!!!!!!
Such a lovely sight from my home. God bless.
i like that ,money is coming ,taxis go make your money.