Tourism Minister greets visitors as cruise season opens

The first day of the cruise season began with energy and excitement as Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell was present to extend greetings to tourists.

According to a release issued by the ministry on Wednesday, Mitchell welcomed visitors from cruise ships the MSC Preziosa and Silver Shadow that docked in the Port of Spain Port with a total of 6,000 crew and passengers aboard.

During the visit, Mitchell also met Captain Cataldo De Stefano of the Silver Shadow and welcomed him to the island.

Mitchell also participated in the customary Crest Exchange with Captain DeStafano. The ceremony is a tradition for all ships visiting Trinidad for the first time.

During the visit, tourists visited vendors’ booths to purchase authentic local products, while taxi drivers took the visitors to popular beaches and other tourist sites and attractions.

Multilingual translators and visitor guides were also on hand to assist with the thousands of visitors who came from France, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and other countries.

A Carnival-like atmosphere engulfed the Port's quayside as traditional mas characters like Moko Jumbies entertained visitors, immersing them in the local culture, while the latest soca songs for Carnival 2020 were played by a DJ that prompted spontaneous dancing by many of the visitors.

The release stated the cruise season, which ends in April, is expected to be busy as thousands more visitors are expected to visit during next month’s Carnival and beyond.