Freeport, Grand Bahama - As the local the residents of Grand Bahama prepare for the Christmas holidays, management and tenants at the Port Lucaya Marketplace will be busy gearing up to receive the MSC Poesia, which is expected to call at Port Lucaya early next year.

“The call of the MSC Poesia is one of many projects we are working on to strengthen Grand Bahama’s tourism sector,” states Mr. Ian Rolle, President of The Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA). We are excited about this visit. It is a trial call, but our hope is that it will evolve into much more, and thereby creating opportunities for many individuals and businesses alike.”  He continued.

Business Development Manager for GBPA, Mr. Derek Newbold, confirmed that the call at Port Lucaya will serve as a trial run, in hopes of re-establishing Port Lucaya Marketplace as a calling point for vessels.

“Most of the locals would be familiar with the “Big Red Boat” concept, or the visit of the Queen Mary 2, which docked off the Lucayan Beach and ferried passengers ashore; well, we are looking to do the same for the MSC Poesia when she calls in January.” Newbold shared. “I understand that, that model served the Marketplace very well and we see this upcoming call as an excellent opportunity to bring increased activity to the area,” he further commented.

To date, GBPA along with the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), Port Lucaya Marketplace and other partners have met to discuss matters relating to the visit.

Entertainment and Marketing Coordinator for the Marketplace, Ms. Karen Ferguson-Bain says that they will be ready to ‘roll out the red carpet’ and make a grand impression on the Poesia when she arrives.  In preparation for the vessel’s call, the Port Lucaya Marketplace is working with its tenants and other industry stake holders, to offer an array of tours and experiences for the guests.

Ferguson-Bain raves, “We’ve got live entertainment and Junkanoo planned for the day and we have alerted the tenants of the Marketplace, so that they can plan promotional sales or special give-aways promoting their respective businesses. We have also organized with MOT for food and drink samples, to give passengers a taste of our local cuisine, helping them to feel right at home. We’re pulling out all the stops!”

The 93,300 ton vessel, with a capacity of approximately 3,013 guests will dock off shore at the Grand Lucayan and passengers will be ferried to the Marketplace. Its arrival time is scheduled for 7:00am (0700) and departure at 4:00pm (1600) on Saturday, 7^th January, 2012. A plaque exchange and tour of the vessel with executives and tourism officials is also planned.

The MSC Poesia is one of a 12 vessel fleet owned by MSC Cruises sailing year round in the Mediterranean and seasonally in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, Canada/New England, South America, the Indian Ocean, South and West Africa.