“Carnival Fascination” in port. Photo courtesy Etienne Locardia,
UPDATE
PORT–Cruise ship Carnival Fascination was in port on Saturday, keeping its scheduled call and not diverting to another destination due to the then-still burning massive tyre fire on the dump. The fire started on Friday afternoon when some burning material ignited a nearly tyre pile.
The ship’s captain berthed the large vessel alongside the pier at Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities after 6:30am.
Word late Friday night was that the ship, the only one scheduled to call on Saturday, would divert to another destination due to the fire. It was later learned that Carnival Corporation, a long-time partner of St. Maarten, and the ship’s captain had decided not to skip the port of call, but to set sail for St. Maarten’s shores.
On approach to the country’s shores, the captain would make the decision about whether to berth. He decided to berth, and cruise passengers were eager to get off the vessel and explore the island. Their arrival on shore was briefly dampened by a rainstorm that cleared up within a short period.
Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Cornelius de Weever said on Saturday that the decision taken on Friday evening about cancelling the ship’s call had been taken when the fire was still raging, “to protect the image of the destination.”
“Government and cruise stakeholders are very cognizant of the current state of affairs of the country and will continue to take decisions in the best interest of the nation, based on events that could have a negative impact to the national economy,” he said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75713-carnival-fascination-keeps-its-date-with-st-maarten
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