PERSONAL WELCOME – GBPA's President and Vice President, Ian Rolle and Ginger Moxey, respectively, traveled to MSC Poesia anchored offshore to personally welcome its passengers to our shores.

Freeport, Bahamas – Over 2,000 passengers of the MSC Poesia awakened to picture-perfect weather and scenery as their majestic ship anchored just off of Port Lucaya on Saturday morning. The white sandy beaches of the Lucayan shoreline, pristine aquamarine waters and bright blue cloudless skies beckoned them onshore to partake of the many activities planned by management of the Port Lucaya Marketplace (PLM) and Bourbon Street Limited, along with the Ministry of Tourism.

By noon, a convoy of tenders could be seen plying waters between the ship and the Port Lucaya marina as they shuttled hundreds upon hundreds of eager visitors to shore. Also joining in were several vessels that transported passengers directly from the ship to various snorkeling and diving excursions.

BRISK BUSINESS – Hairbraiders, jetski operators and other vendors catered to a Lucayan beach filled with MSC Poesia passengers.

Ian Rolle, President, The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) expressed his pleasure. "We are extremely pleased to welcome the passengers and crew of MSC Poesia on its inaugural visit to Port Lucaya. This visit has been keenly anticipated by the island as a whole and Port Lucaya Marketplace in particular, as we look forward to showcasing many of our island's amenities and great Bahamian hospitality," he said.

MSC Poesia's three-day, chartered cruise sailed out of Port Everglades, Florida on Friday, bringing approximately 2,509 passengers and 986 crew members to Port Lucaya and Half Moon Cay in the southern Bahamas, before returning to Fort Lauderdale on Monday. Passengers included famous artists, disc jockeys and fans of electronic/techno dance music on their first-ever, 'Holy Ship' cruise.

According to 'Holy Ship' personnel, the experience allowed patrons to go from theatre to theatre throughout the ship and hang out and mingle with top performers of this musical genre. Not only were they pleased with MSC's host accommodations but the destination as well. Joining in the fun on their first trip to The Bahamas were buddies Tristan and Sammy from Los Angeles. "This is a great, beautiful place. We're having a blast! We love it and will definitely be back," were some of their comments.

A TASTE OF THE ISLANDS – Some of MSC Poesia's passengers sampling conchy conchfritters in Count Basie Square, Port Lucaya Marketplace.

Karen Ferguson-Bain, PLM's Entertainment & Marketing Coordinator concurred. "There is most definitely a chance for repeat visitors due to this inaugural call," she expressed. "A lot of the passengers said they want to come back because it will allow them to see more of the island because of the limited time they had today. So, we are looking forward to them coming back, particularly during Spring Break."

Cognizant of the demographics of today's group, ranging in age from 25 to 35 and primarily from South Eastern Florida, PLM management rolled out the welcome mat with Count Basie Square resonating with modern, upbeat sounds of the Matrix Band, interactive limbo, a junkanoo rush out, and performances by the Port Lucaya dancers. "They were looking for a party-like environment and Port Lucaya offered that to them," she added.

Reflecting on the success of MSC Poesia's inaugural call, GBPA President Rolle said, “It was great to see the number of passengers that came off the ship today. It is a good indication of how we, as a destination, can increase the reported 15% of passengers who disembark the cruise ships to the estimated 65% that visited the Lucaya area today. A number of them went on the beach, whilst many stayed within the Port Lucaya Marketplace. They visited the bars, walked around the Straw Market and took in the entertainment planned."

SHORE EXCURSIONS – Watersports operators ferried passengers directly from the ship for a day of fun.

He further thanked the many persons and organizations involved in making a visit of this magnitude such a success. "In the future, we look forward to becoming a permanent port of call for this vessel and many other ships interested in adding Grand Bahama to their itineraries," stated Rolle.